Universal joint.



H. F. HOPKINS4 DECD..

c. HOPKINS, ADMlmsTR/mx.

UNIVERSAL JOINT.

IAPPLICATION FILED AUA. 19H.

' Patentedsepn, 14;' 1915.

2 spins-SHEET x. v

` "enf" Iliff fop/H11 C70/u Hajj/film, Aamv/'s s@ UNIVERSAL 101m. PPLICATION FILED APR. 4 I9I4. l

Patented Sept/14, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@DUI/Immun Speiimion @f Letters miem. pmmmed @@9158 M19 m5,

mima-tion' ed p1-il 195.4.' Serial No. @29,6%A

HQPKINS, clol United Swiss,

' T T'VLN 2.,' 1 moiis iii'nia oisolooiiiib, oi zillion the Spia maillon.

ful-v foregoing is im pim-*idoli universal joint, tho oils .or coupling Joombers oiF which mclmi'iwo melting. plaies designed no 'receive il eiiiinnl of .gil'ive and driven sooft and oro-hold in a'sombled felation io each manufacturil vvjiil be durable find olli! oomplighed if? 'Such moans aro iAL ill-o accompanying fi'an'mgs, osso inv following spe iioaionf and Uien more i. 5,. p rioulfiily* pointed out in the clau/n.3,

this appli I li reforme@ ibo il e ili'mi'ingjs, Wlwioin iliqio llas baan iliiisi'ofeil lo preferred emiioiiment oi 'his inveifgio'i :is it is feiluooil o prctico., 21ml luroiigfliout olio several which appmiiled lioioo and form a pari views of which similar @ference numerals ilosigoate corresponding paris, Figure l is a 'porspootivo viow showing the several elomofito of *elle joint 'in disasSfmbled iol-ation, om; indioaing lle manner in w'liioh they we adzipefl to be assembled io oiml ai; opera-f tive joint; 2 is a plan view of 'ille joint? poiion folio spidei' ncl adjacent coupling being shown in soot-ion to more oiezirly isolose the izotoiior ooiisti'uot-ion of Spi-'31am Figx is a'. detail poispeotive 1o above and aililiiional objots dro no;

-oxtnfling oil ducts, as inlioaod ai: 2

in Figs. 2 and 5 parzqularly The outerder iimnions and afljacoiii, portion of the 'piiloi body mammal', Showing pu,.icuizi'ily .lio oil dosis 'Eliroigli which a' lulu-i ,mit may wm lie ogifloi body lis coupling forks;

Wim q 51; i i da .0 i .1'

eapid-oi' an@ arranged 'in planes exoiing..

ight angles ibo @noli otlior tino Wollwn man-nor.

coiffe ille ermixmls o tho rivoli :m iliifo Tl e spider cohsiss essninlly in n.. hollow .oocly flamber l5, which Siiisrtwiully gobiilai in ou-linoonfl is provided. with olu miep; al 'ivmuozis, mili-vidi illy desigimfed in i by the immer-al; '16; 1 7, 17.8 und, lvl. 'Ehe iiiunixoiis cylindrical in slm The purpose iii thus making Itho'y iiimiiono' of llio'siuirfioi hollow will loo iioijoioaftei' more fully disclosed in thai; poiiiolfi of ille' sgr/eciiioaion which "will .be denoted to fi descripaion of lie compl?. g forks and thieii labricoion, f The tiunuioiis are', of oolil'so, ari':1iiged iijiso the lu` ficantchamber 22, as will most readily understood upon ijefeifeooo Fig. 2. tl "oadefl olosuio pluginclmitei'l at '23, is., of course, pi'ovldecl' im ille pui-pose of normally sealing this boro 2l-to provanoth escapo of lubricant', therethrough .iliumg 'lie rotation of the .spicloly It is now, lo loo obsoivefl lifi libero' is formeel ai theA juiiolsion of oooh 'the ui nonswili die body poiionof 'ilio fspifler a pair of diameti'o'filly opposed diagonally Those coupling; member@ .li 1,121 are, oi oouifoa clos-igual zo foand' n the, somo plano. 'Elio foco of 'the lgoily Those, circular i'latonodl fooesf These oil yducts 24 and 25 of each trunnion' are designedtolsupply vlubricant to.' the sides'or cylindrical faces of the trunnions -f and their receiving sockets.

In order tov insure a thoroughl lubrication of 'the terminals of the trunnions, there is jprovided for each of these members a ter- '.,minal closure plug, the preferred form. of rywhich,vindicated at 2,6 Ain Fig. 3, consists in a, metallic plug which is brazed or otherwise litted inthe trunnion. An opening or bore 27'eXtends tlncoughy this plug 26, and obviously permits the escape of lubricant from the chamber 2v2 of the spider bod into the socketsiof thejcoupling forks. t has been found desirablein some instances to substitutejfor. the brazed plug 26 of the preferred"embodiment a modified form of .fplug schas' is indicated at 28 in Fig.

This inodifidjrm of plug is also, of course, fori'ned of=metal, but is threaded so that it .mayfbeeasilyinserted in 'or removed from' p fthe trunnion. y, I e Asl'pxjeviously set forth, the couplings 11 aresubstantially identical in conand it isv deemed necessary, thereo" describe. only one of 'them Vin le- ,f r which purpose the member; 12 of lis chosen. It will be noted upon refconsist@ in a pair of mating aringf''" plates 2,9 aandf; Thesefplates A29 and y3Q ,we similar, fand 'achrconsists in a, channel-shaped body ymeinber31,a lateralliy7 offset karcuate neck 2, andn terminal se'mispherical socket 33 formedthereonjf It is obvious that the body l'ffofgfthe fork arms 29 and 30 are toilproduce, when' materica cylindrieal'ch'ainberfor passage which may receive the terrninal of the *driveny or' drive shaft 13 or 14,719, ecase may be.

Theytrunnionf receiving socketsy 33 are, as stated,semispherical'in outline, and are formedywith 'tle cylindrical'- openings or y 35j chambersfindicated at 34. ..'I`hese chambers 34 are; of such Vdiameter!thatv they will snuglI receive the 'trunnions of the spiderl and are of such .depth that the edges "35 ofthe socket will engage the flattened surfaces 20 `of the noted that a circumferential recess is formed in the edge 35A ofeachf"socket to recelve a Washer; such as is indicated at 36..A

of the twol members 29 and-30 act :also'ito hold the terminals of the shafts 13jfr14 asv thevcasc may be, againstrotation'jinthel edge of each of theplate members 31 apairv of, spaced apertures, as indicated.- at 37. Theseapertures 37 extend, as shown partien ne'to this yfigure that the coielin'g; forkspideriwhen the trunnions have; been posi-l tioned within the sockets. A Itr is' riow-Ltobey `As hasbcen hcreinbefore explained, the saine bolts which connect the bodyplates 31 ations of the apertures 37, being equal indiameter to those apertures so that one half of each of the bolts, which are inserted through the various apertures 37, is received within a groove. 38, while the other ,half of each bolt is received within a groove 39. It will thus be obvious, particularly upon reference to Figl, that the bolts which connectthe two arms 29 and- 30 of the coupling forks serve also to hold the shaft 13 against rotation in the forks. In order 4to facilitateA the application or `removal of the bolts to the members 29 'and 30, there has been formed at the outer terminal of the recesses 37, which lie on Aone side of each, plate 31, a recess which, as indicated at 40, isjormed with a semi-circu lar rear wall 41. The apertures 37 of the other side of each plate 31 are'formed with somewhat similar recesses 42, but the rear lwalls 43 of these recesses are shaped to conform to the outline of the hexagonal bolt heads which are preferably ernployed.-l

It is now to be noted'that the recesses 42@ of the arm member 29 arearranged, when,A

.the coupling arms are mated, Ito op ose the recesses 40 of the coupling arm 30, hus, as isbcst shown yin Fig. 4, the heads 44 of the bolts which connect one sideof the conplmg are seated in the recesses 42` at the v upper portion of the coupling, and the nuts 45 are then threadedl on Ithe terminals of the bolts, being disposed in the recesses 40 'of l, the Coupling member `30. `The heads 46 of the bolts connecting the other side of the :coupling forks vare inserted from-the lower Y side bearin against the recess wall or shoul- Y der'43, an v"the nuts 47 are then threaded on these bolts-and disposed in the recess 40. It-i's obvious that by engaging the heads 44 ders or -recess walls,43, the bolts are held against rotation during the Vappliclttiolluof the nuts 45 and 47.l

It isncw to be noted thatprotuberanoes' or pro]ect1ons, indicatedl at 48, 'are .folflllfd and 46 of the several bolts against the shouli adJacent eachapertu're of, each body. member L 3 1vto provide n' relatively 4widega'tboittg'nn surface for eachrecessso that the bolt ,ffii

bsi'wiuhbe wwf:

- the coupling; forlil', it may Well ilo again tialiy ileuticnl in construction 0 Joe .memq

1m1- 12, and liatthe seme numerals epplieol" ina-' he` conditions concurren; with the soph-on o' this ence will necessarily vary;

to lle various paris el he member have been applied so 'ehe various parts of the member ll. will be observed upon refern ence to Fig, 2 that the sockets of the member 1:2 receive the trunnions 18 mail il? bile the sockets of the fork Li. receive the m oimioiis i l@ and 1Q..

Relative to *elle peculiar which I have been found io result la/"employing folic particular form of spider hereinbeere iegci'ibed, i desire to direct esaecial attention tohe fact that the oil ducs ami serve to conduct n iorion of 'he lubricant from he chamber 22 into. loe side `-wills of ille soclies 33, wliile the oil uct 2? of isz-urinion closure plugs 28 effect me ai plicaioir 'of the lubricant io the gemlwalls or inner faces of the sockets. Bo'lrtiie side Walls and end Wlls of each socket are thus thor* ouglily lubricated during Jhe use 0I the joint. .I A y in tins connection, 1t may Aoe Well to briefly @all attention to elle ace'lia the lubricant, is forced through the various fiuc's 25,' Q6, and 27 of each of the truniiions 16'-,

l?, 18 and' 'i9 by centrifugal force a Aresul:

of elle rapid rotetiou of the .spider l0, Y The washersf, bese-ing .es they (lov against ehe l "lgeing iubrieated by he 'lubricant issuing j Hom me duct of me trimmen end ciosl;

plug; and the persian of each socket lecon-v izitened portions' 20 oiziie. spider body, op erste preyentgthe -elxcessive leakage o the lubricant. 1 y The universel joins of this invention :ses will bea'pporent yfrom elle foregoing descripjtioii, so designed that it may be essi ligassem-` bled or disassembled, and? i@ moliie most," univeisal joints nom-ite.' use, sowconstrucecl met is may be removedor fle-applied to lle meinwsiiat's Wihoue requiring that the shafts-Toe displaced f romiheir bearings, o;

connect tiro body 'plaies 31 of the sha-treceiving sockets 'insures not, only die hoid-v iisg oi" the shafts against rotation 1n their' sockets, but elle sustaining of end` hrust mici end pulls Without danger of thesiiets being pushed in pulled out of the socket-s. For

thermale, these bol's which connect the body plates 31 oi the members'i? and '80 ineke it possible to hold iv squsregil terminal Shafti'n either one of the soclies. shoul it be deysireclv to provide 41 conecion between shafts of his type la reduction o pi'aieisroe ii; ies-sees oun ffe iiroiigh ordinary strains. Again be no'ed that all of' tile working iiiatire formy of? this,inventien.illiislcraefl' in the drawings, end referred to in the above descriptioo :is die preferred emboeliment, 1s the mos; ellicien and practical; yefrezillzmg it is dcsireole io emphasize iie facbtl'm; various minor changes 11i details of consid ction,

'proporion :mei arrangement of ,paris rmay be resoreii to, .vlien'required, without sacrliicmgzaiiy of *511e edvi'mmges o1 -liis mmira through the erminelo the trumiioos the. oyimerieol Wall osaifi grmiilons being provided with a plurality of diagonally extending; lubricam ducts, and pair of coupling .forks having sockel-s receiving the trumions, that portion of ezi'ch socket contasting Wiii lie terminal of s ruimior.

ilioi he Iig; lubricated by liibzicenit"-issuingf from Leliagevolly exteiiaiing oil (isses.

.2 universel 1eme including e feonsisaiog o s sriiisieii-eizii# spherical sll'apei hollow body meinbergaopecl co receive a, ouentiy of iuliricemii plurality of tiiiimionsfforme. integrally Willi che body e@ eiaireesly parlais,- .iieisuraee of the body member .'o'ezied o produce a` :insular iieiing surface et tile nase f i,rmmioii, there beingf'oil ducks formed Aiii-die termiiieisefeacii trimnion for siropl/ing e lubricenito the emi surfeee of each rumuon, there being diagonally extending foil dect-s forme at ehe, immature of'eecil runniori mail bed? member for corecluctiig .lubrieanxo ehe cylindrical surfaces 'of tiiefk/rumiion-s and onto'he simuler 'oeor- ,nig surfaces o the oo fiy member, and, e pair of coupling' forks having s the' rumnons.

lekets receiving' A universel joint incluiing; a Siiicle '.*consistifiig oi a hollow substantialiy spinal-L vcai isodg member ademe@ io- Gemein s quantity, of' lubricant, a plurality of ii-unmons :formed integrally with time' body meer oer5 saisi ruinions being hollowI5 emi e, fiat emiuiar bearing' surface orm.

ich

face of the body member at .the base of each trunnion, there bei. oil ducts leading from the interior of the body member to `a point I at the junction of the cylindrical faces of the trunnions and the annular bearing"sur 4faces of the body'member, whereby lubricant'is .supplied/ to both of-said faces, each of said trunnions being' provided With an oil duct leading to the end Aface of the trunj non, coupling forks having sockets receiv- 4face" at the base of the trunnion, there being an annular. groove formedat the outer edge ofthe flat surfaces of each socket member, and an absorbent ring seated in each groove,

the said oil ducts, which supply lubricant to the lfiat bearing surfaces of the body member, beingadapted to vsupply a lubricant to the absorbent rings of the sockets.

4. A universal joint lincluding a hollow spider adapted to receive a lubricant, av

' being provided with lubricant ducts in the "plurality of -hollow trunnions carried by the spider and communicating at their inner ends interiorly of the spider, plugs fitting Within and closing the outer ends of said trunnions, said plugs having lubricant ducts *,oijrned therein ,communicating interiorly /offthe-,trnnionsf-anla pair of coupling forks having socketsreceiving and inclosing theou'ter terminls of the trunnions and' safid'plugs; K 5,5. A'univeisal joint including a 'hollow spiderv adapted -to receive a lubricant, a

plurality of hollow trunnions carried by the spider and communicating at their inner extremities interiorly of: the spider,

plug'syfitting within and closingthe outer ends of the trunnions, said plugs having ducts formed therein communicating in- 'teriorly of the trunnions, and a pairv of coupling forks having sockets inclosing the outer terminals of the trunnions and said ,u

6.' A universaljoint including a spider consisting ofa hollow body member adapted to receive a quantity of lubricant, and a plurality 'of hollow trunnions formedy integrally with the body member and'communicating therewith, plugs closing the outer `endsof said trunnions and provided with lubricant ducts extending therethrough, and

a pair of coupling forks 'having sockets inclosing the' outer terminals of said trunnions, the said sockets normally seatingl against the spider and the said trunnions sidewalls thereof whereby lubricant will be supplied to the faces of the sockets confronting the spider through said last mentioned lducts. 4 I In testimony whereof I affix my signature 

